Over the years, there have been disagreements between Ghanaian traders and their counterparts from other countries, particularly Nigerians.
The Ashanti regional branch of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) has called on President Akufo-Addo to reject calls by some Nigerian traders to direct the reopening of locked up shops belonging to Nigerians.
Over the years, there have been disagreements between Ghanaian traders and their counterparts from other countries, particularly Nigerians.
The local traders argued that based on Ghana’s laws, the foreigners had no right to engage in retail trade as their activities negatively affected them.
The government subsequently set up a presidential committee to properly scrutinise all foreigners engaging in trading activities.
Several shops belonging to foreigners were closed, Modernghana reports
In a recent statement, the former President for All Nigerian Community in Ashanti Region, Chief Nkem Tony Onyeagolu, called on President Akufo-Addo to give a directive for all shops belonging to foreigners to be reopened.
Reacting to this at a news conference, the Ashanti Regional Chapter of GUTA, Anthony Oppong, said its members want President Akufo-Addo to reject the call by the foreign traders outright as it lacks merit.
“The call for the president to review the exercise is an insult to the president and the people. It looks as if the president didn’t think and just woke up one day and just gave instructions to the people to go and lock their shops.
“We are a sovereign country. We have rules and regulations that guide our trade policies and that’s the way we want to go even though we are associated with so many international bodies. Our law—the constitution of this country— takes precedence over all those laws and treaties that they’ve signed to, so they can’t dictate to us what Ghana must do with our laws”.